Starts atFree plan · paid from $6/mo
- Free plan
Head-to-head
ElevenLabs vs Murf AI: which AI voice fits a faceless Shorts creator?
At a glance
Starts atFree trial · paid from $19/mo billed yearly
- No free plan
- Free trialfree trial: 10 minutes of voice generation, no downloads, no card
ElevenLabs has a free plan with 10,000 credits a month, about 10 minutes of voice. A commercial license starts on Starter at $6/month. Murf AI offers a free trial, and its terms say you can use Murf voices for commercial purposes. Murf Studio is free for 10 minutes, then Creator is $19/month billed yearly ($29 monthly) with commercial rights.
Quick verdict
- Choose ElevenLabs if you want clear plan prices, a free plan to test, and voice cloning from $6/month.
- Choose Murf AI if you want a studio-style voiceover editor and are fine checking its current plan price first.
Side-by-side comparison
| Detail | ElevenLabs | Murf AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free plan: 10,000 credits a month (about 10 minutes) | Free trial. API: $10 free credit, no credit card |
| Entry paid plan | Starter: $6/month, 30,000 credits (about 30 minutes) | Studio plan prices not shown on Murf's pricing page (checked 16 Oct 2026) |
| Mid plan | Creator: $22/month, 121,000 credits (about 121 minutes) | Creator: $19/mo yearly or $29 monthly, 2 hours of voice a month |
| Pay as you go | Pay-as-you-go top-up credits on top of a subscription | API: $0.03 per 1,000 characters (Gen2), $0.01 per 1,000 for Falcon |
| Commercial use | Starter and up include a commercial license. The Free plan doesn't list one (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Commercial rights on Creator and up. Free has none |
| Voice cloning | Instant clone on Starter. Professional clone on Creator and up | Professional Voice Cloning listed on Enterprise |
| Yearly billing | Costs the same as 10 months | Saves 33%: Creator $19/mo, Business $66/mo |
Can you monetize the voice on YouTube or TikTok?
On ElevenLabs, the pricing page lists a commercial license on Starter ($6/month) and higher. It does not list one on Free, so do not use Free voices on a monetized channel. Murf's terms say you can use Murf-created voices for commercial purposes, but you cannot resell Murf's voices or use them to train an AI model.
What a 60-second Short costs
ElevenLabs Starter gives about 30 minutes a month for $6, so roughly 30 one-minute voiceovers. On Murf's API, pay-as-you-go Falcon voices cost $0.01 per 1,000 characters. A 1-minute script is often under 1,000 characters, so it costs about 1 cent.
Which one for a Shorts creator?
- Testing AI voice for free: ElevenLabs Free, but not on a monetized channel.
- Posting a few faceless Shorts a week: ElevenLabs Starter at $6/month.
- Cloning your own voice: ElevenLabs Starter for an instant clone.
- Want a timeline-style voiceover studio: try Murf Free (10 minutes), then Creator at $19/mo yearly.
Common questions
Does ElevenLabs have a free plan?
Yes. ElevenLabs pricing: Freemium, from $6/mo. Prices change, so check the official site.
Does Murf AI have a free plan?
It has a free trial, not a free plan: 10 minutes of voice with no downloads. Creator is $19/mo yearly ($29 monthly), Business $66/mo yearly ($99 monthly). Prices change, so check the official site.
Which is better, ElevenLabs or Murf AI?
Pick ElevenLabs if you want clear plan prices, a free plan to test, and voice cloning from $6/month. Pick Murf AI if you want a studio-style voiceover editor and are fine checking its current plan price first.
Related: ElevenLabs vs Speechify, ElevenLabs alternatives, best AI voice for faceless videos, AI voiceover tools, voice cloning tools.
Sources: elevenlabs.io/pricing, murf.ai/pricing, murf.ai/legal/terms-of-service. Checked on 15 October 2026. Based on published plans and terms, not a hands-on test.